Ever heard of a sushi taco? See how it’s made at Sacramento’s new Japanese restaurant
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A new Japanese restaurant just touched down in Sacramento and, before you scroll, this one serves its sushi in taco form.
Nestled near a smog auto shop on Stockton Boulevard, a block south of Florin Road, sits Engawa Fusion, the city’s newest destination for an Instagramable sushi taco.
The roughly 1,000-square-foot restaurant held its soft opening in April with a menu largely focused on noodle and rice dishes, from ramen and udon to donburi, rice bowls with toppings and appetizers.
The sushi tacos, seven to be exact, have a dedicated section on the menu.
The traditional hard tortilla shell is swapped for a circular piece of fried seaweed molded into a similar shape. The result is a crispy and airy shell that can hold the combined weight of rice, flavorful protein and snappy vegetables.
Prices range from a $9.50 vegetarian taco assembled with fried tamagoyaki, or rolled egg, with cabbage and cucumber, to a $12 Taco Unagi of grilled eel with apples, carrots and cucumbers.
The man and mind behind Sacramento’s latest food craze is Alvin Zhang, owner of Engawa Fusion, and longtime lover of Japanese and Mexican cuisine. He created a restaurant where he can have both in one dish.
“Everybody coming for the sushi taco right now” Zhang said Saturday morning from his restaurant’s dining area. By 11:49 a.m., the space was nearly packed with smiling customers taking photos of their plates.
The dining room’s capacity is 38 people.
Rhea and Charles Pedrosa, a couple from Williams, came in specifically to try the sushi taco after seeing photos of the dish online. They had never heard of the concept before.
The duo, married for 17 years and together for 26, chose the $10 Taco Tonkatsu. A seaweed shell is forced to buckle at the weight of a deep-fried pork cutlet, cucumber, cabbage and avocado. The entire thing then receives a healthy drizzle of mustard and honey sauce.
“The presentation is great ... the food itself is balanced,” Charles said with no plate or silverware in front of him. He had wiped his bowl clean several minutes prior.
Reha could only describe the food as “good” as she eagerly slurped noodle after noodle from her large bowl.
“(The restaurant) will be (fully) packed in a matter of time,” Charles Pedrosa said.
What is an engawa?
Once inside, prepare to be transported into an engawa, hence the restaurant’s name.
An engawa is a traditional design element in Japanese architecture where a strip of decking, often wood or bamboo, is placed on the side of a home to face a yard or garden. This space serves as a passageway or seating area for tea.
At Engawa Fusion, those details are materialized through its A-frame roof, trailing plants and hanging light fixtures, dark green-colored walls, and wooden accents.
Zhang, former co-owner of two restaurants in Sacramento, said the early response has been positive, but having sole responsibility for a business was harder than he expected it to be.
He couldn’t fill tables the first several days after opening and was forced to toss food.
Eventually, customers began posting photos of his dishes online. Now, the restaurant has nearly 50 reviews and 4.3 stars on Yelp.
Another Yelp review is on the way from Sacramento resident Ka Chow who, along with his family, came to Engawa Fusion for a taste (and photo) of the sushi taco.
“We’re constantly looking on Yelp for the hot and new restaurants coming up and I like Japanese food in particular,” Chow said, seated at the table while rocking a hoodie dedicated to his picturesque samoyed named Pika Pika. He was celebrating his 31st birthday.
He ordered the $12 Taco Unagi and the $11 Take Sake — assembled with salmon, avocado, white radish, cabbage, fish roe and ponzu jelly sauce.
What’s on the menu?
The restaurant’s kitchen features a bar dedicated to the taco operation, a stove for ramen dishes, one deep fryer and a walk-in cooler that’s stocked with prep.
The restaurant’s grand opening is scheduled for sometime next month.
In the meantime, Zhang said he’s working to make sure his staff of six, largely made up of his family, can “handle everything” so he can shift his focus to expanding the menu.
The current food list, which was made simple for customer experience, was all created by Zhang. He doesn’t like to cook, but he’s very good at it.
The food list includes $9 Japanese-style fried chicken, $8 octopus salad and $14.95 stir-fried udon topped with beef, vegetables, seaweed and a soft-boiled egg.
Also available is a $14.95 bowl of ramen that is guaranteed to leave you full and satisfied. Sichuan peppercorn, chili oil, peanut butter, beansprouts and cashews are made to swim in piping-hot chicken and pork broth.
The drink list includes hot tea, coffee, milk tea and soft drinks.
Engawa Fusion is open at 7301 Stockton Blvd. in south Sacramento from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week, according to its website. The restaurant accepts reservations and walk-ins.
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